"The long-term promise of this technology is that it's a cure, not just a treatment."

Making small planes has some long-term promise to compensate for the immediate perils.

A few analysts, seeing long-term promise, suggest patient investors consider buying.

Randolph said he needed to see more before making any long-term promises.

Development programs with long-term promise tend to suffer the cuts.

"By building it," he added, "the city is fulfilling a long-term promise."

Many scientists, even those who see long-term promise in the approach, worry that the commercial and political pressures are accelerating the programs too quickly.

Still, analysts see long-term promise and an opportunity to buy low in some of these battered stocks.

Mr. Gates said he had certainly not lost his faith in the long-term promise of technology to deliver a better world.

The federal government is increasingly in the business of making long-term promises to its citizens.